Follow Us:

The state Senate Democrats released a report Tuesday detailing their argument for a higher minimum wage.

During the 2012 legislative session, Democrats in both chambers voiced strong support for increasing the state minimum wage from $7.25 to $8.50, but it was ultimately rejected by Senate Republicans, who labeled it a “job-killer.”

In the report, the lawmakers argue that minimum wage has not kept pace with inflation and, as such, limits New Yorkers’ purchasing power. Increasing it would stimulate the economy, they argue.

“Every day the Republicans block passage of the minimum wage is another missed opportunity to lift millions of New Yorkers out of poverty and get our economy moving again,” Sen. Adriano Espaillat, D-Manhattan, said in a statement.

Espaillat calls for the Legislature to return to Albany “immediately” to vote on raising the wage.

Conference Leader John Sampson, D-Brooklyn, said in a statement that his Republican colleagues are “pandering to special interest campaign donors” instead of considering the testimony of experts, small-business owners and minimum-wage earners.

About Capitol Confidential

Capitol Confidential gathers the best coverage of New York politics and puts it all together. Each section - Capitol, The State Worker, New York on the Potomac, and Voices - represents a unique facet of the political scene. The Capitol section features coverage from the Times Union Capitol bureau. The State Worker is dedicated to state worker issues. New York on the Potomac offers news of interest to New Yorkers from Washington. And Voices features the best of everything else, pointing you to columnists and bloggers from across the Web.